Covid-19 passports to go live in Northern Ireland ‘from next week’
- 30 June 2021
Covid-19 vaccination passports could be available in Northern Ireland from as early as next week.
Northern Ireland’s Department of Health announced the passes could be live by Monday, July 5 – ahead of the previously expected July 19 date.
The Covid passport allows people to prove they’ve had both jabs when travelling abroad.
The passports are planned to go live by next week “providing cyber security checks are cleared successfully”, according to a statement from the NI government.
Northern Ireland’s vaccine passports will be in hard copy when first released, with a digital alternative expected by mid-August.
Dan West, the department’s chief digital information officer, said: “A lot of hard work is ongoing to deliver Northern Ireland’s scheme. Unlike other jurisdictions, we have not had the advantage of a pre-existing health service app. We are therefore building our system from scratch.
“We also want to make sure that rigorous cyber security checks are completed to protect against hackers, reflecting how seriously we take the protection of personal data.”
The hard copy passports will include “counterfeit protection features” to ensure safety around data.
West added that governments and businesses may also decide to use vaccine passports for other circumstances, including domestic events.
“The aim is effectively to have a Covid-19 vaccine passport – internationally recognised proof a person has had both vaccine doses,” West said.
“This will complement the UK’s existing traffic light system for international travel, which can include PCR tests and quarantine rules, depending on the travel location.
“While final decisions have still to be taken on how and when these vaccine certificates will be used, they are expected to make foreign travel easier for people who have had both doses.”
Online Covid-19 passports went live in Wales from June 25.
Covid passports in England
Covid passports have been available in England through the NHS App since 17 May.
The NHS App already allows users to access a range of NHS services on their smartphone or tablet, including vaccination records.
Users can check their vaccination status through the app if permitted by their GP. This applies to all vaccines.
Since the government announced it would be used to access Covid passports more than six million people have downloaded the app.
The government is recommending people register with the NHS App before booking overseas travel.
To use the app you must be registered with a GP in England. The government is recommending people register with the app before booking international travel and at least two weeks before the departure date.
Currently, the Covid-19 passport can only be used once a person has had a full course of vaccinations – that means both jabs.
The NHS App is separate from the NHS Covid-19 app which was designed specifically as a contact-tracing app.
You can find out more about Covid passports and how they work in our explainer here.
81 Comments
I will add that I have tried unbelievably to apply for covid passport they state my name and date of birth are not connected with my address and I have lived in the address for 11 years I’m totally disgusted at this app if you are travelling on Sunday Monday Tuesday even Wednesday you will not be able to access this app what a bunch of numskulls creating this you can only travel with PCR test regardless another £60 if your vaccinated or not what’s going on with this weekly update of this app totally and utterly day light robbery for people to seek a break away when they follow covid rules for 18+ months with this I will be-in a queue of vaccinated having to pay another £60 get your act together and give them vaccinated their deserved vaccine passport
These are civil servants implementing the new regulations it’s not the politicians !! If they put the proper people ie IT competent staff into the job one would hope it would be plain sailing. But as usual it will be down to “resources” to justify their ineptitude?
If England had it why had it to be so difficult ????????
A shambolic website was designed for travellers requesting a temporary vaccination certificate, I applied for two sisters and myself,why would one pay for a PCR test when country and airline stipulated that temporary vaccination certificates are acceptable.
Applied on line for three , received three reference numbers
Due to fly to Spain 19.07.21
Getting near date to fly, need to sort this out
Where do I ring?
Find number on website No number
Rang SDLP, very helpful but didn’t get anywhere with who one can speak to
Rang Sinn Feinn, like SDLP,very helpful , only on several attempts did they manage to speak to a Damien who said my paperwork was not acceptable that I needed to get 3 PCR tests
SinnFeinn gave me telephone number, rang and asked to speak to Damien, was asked which Damien, was told just too many Damiens , need to know surname????♀️
Penned an email to both offices of Robert Swann, I made a formal complaint re lack of instruction and communication that was on government website for travellers
Received email from David at Stormont, with no telephone number, he told me that I had received an email informing me Spain was not a country where temporary vaccination certificates would be issued, this message was part of lengthy generic information sent to everyone , the information was a one size fits all, nothing specific,I told him I had I had three reference numbers, I assumed this email was for those who were not allocated a reference number. I should have received a personal email, two sentences, your reference numbers are null and void, get three PCR tests
Having received this email from David at Stormont,I tried to ring him at Stormont , line to Stormont on several attempts went dead
Sent emails to David at Stormont requesting him to ring me
No success, rang Sinn Feinn requesting that I get a phone call
David rang, informed me he was sorry for what happened. Sorry was not good enough, I told him I could get flights on Monday 19 July, he told me to arrange 3 PCR tests.
To get these on 17.07 .21, all in the same place at the same time was impossible, as the shambolic system was not of my making, I asked that the department arranges and pays for three PCR tests, mentally emotionally financially I was the one who because of the not fit for purpose website was left with no redress
David told me again he was sorry but there was nothing he could do
Whoever passed the website for temporary certificates should get the sack, there must be consequences for their actions, mistakes happen, blunders happen, creating generic emails with no contact numbers did not address what travellers wanted.
There is an arrogance about all of this, it is discriminatory to assume everyone is competent with applying on line, capable of reading and interpreting lengthy emails . Nothing was put in place to help those who wanted to speak to a competent person to get travellers sorted with necessary documentation.
Truely a shocking experience. It is disgraceful that no one will personally be held accountable for this, it wouldn’t surprise me in the least that they will receive a pay rise for designing such a disgraceful website
Lorretta did you mange to get covid vaccination certificate. We are flying on Saturday. I find it impossible to use just like you. Completely stressed out
I’m hoping to go visit my daughter in Cyprus last week of August, not seen her or the family fir 2 years because of Covid 19. I may as well apply now for a paper copy as it seems that the electronic version may be out by mid August but I don’t want to tempt fate
I’m flying out tomorrow I’ve tried a dozen times with my passport and pic trying to get verified can’t get past this my wife got hers OK my son had to pay for a pcr test which he passed I’m gutted there’s no help at all the nidirect website is shambolic
I am having the same difficulty it doesn’t work. I’m meant to be flying Friday 23 6am and I cannot get past pics of my passport. It is ridiculous
I got through after hours of trying apparently if you try the passport pic upload more than a few times your susspozsed to get a notification to tell you to move onto the next stage of verification (you’ve run out of trys for the first one) I had to upload a passport pic a driving licence pic a selfie and a household bill with my name on it I did all that yesterday and still no word I just made an appointment with randox the only one I could get was 3.45 pm yesterday but I turned up at 10. 30 and explained to the girl and they took me right away so I just got a negative result at 5.30am this
Morning well done randox I direct is a disgrace they could have issued paper forms to collect untill the app was up and running. at least I can join my family on holiday today
45
So simple & resource saving to have issued a certificate when getting your second vaccination. My colleague in Budapest came away from his second Pfizer injection with a hard plastic credit card with his photo, bar code & cross referenced to another identity document ( health number, driving licence number, passport number etc ). Do we not pay for special advisors / strategy planners??
As I said in my earlier posts, we are being governed by MUPPETS!!!
No idea how to run a department, but then we keep voting these people in.
Special advisors only come up with a solution when the mainland ministers decide what they are doing and then jump on the band wagon.
I could do the job twice as good as these muppets if they want to get in touch.
I was to fly out today
I got my certificate ok
My partner didn’t and has ring them NO answer
Sent passport lots of times
Still nothing
Stressed out ????
We’re you using the 8 digit number for verification or the 12 digit one with letters mixed through it all in caps it is so confusing
After hours on the pine my partner was told the same to reload passport driving license and a household bill that was yesterday mid morning.
To late for us to get our flight
We have lost money on flight because of this
Still no word from them
Will have to take a COVID test ????
Has anyone had any response about flying after the 20th July were goin 22nd and can’t find any info for that date?
Nothing flying the 13th applied the night it opened and have heard nothing only have until 2pm tomorrow or will have to do PCR. It’s a joke they need to pull there socks up we always are lacking and costing us more than rest of uk
The only country in Europe that does not issue certificates. They knew that we don’t have nhs app in December when the clinging started. Can anyone believe that an application cannot be made in 8 months?
At least you lot in England and Wales have an app why can N.Ireland not use the same app
I am flying to Portugal which currently had isolation on arrival unless vaccinated within 14 days. I received my 2nd vaccine on the 5th July and am due to fly on the 19th. Is the day of vaccine included in the 14 days fully vaccinated or does it start the day after. The 19th would that mean I’m flying on the 14th day?
The app goes. Live on the 19/20th July you will be able to download that instead of a paper copy
I can’t find the app ANYWHERE
Applied on Sunday and supposed to be flying to Mallorca tomorrow but no sign of it. Couldn’t get a PCR trust as we are arriving in the evening and couldn’t make it within the 48 hours from tine of test to arrival.
Hi Patrick, we’ve been trying and they we can’t help us. No help from anyone. We fly out on Saturday….
Good luck, can’t see how anything else will be ready for us by the 20th, would need to be well established by now as only 10 days until we need it. Hope it works!
We are due to travel from NI on the 20th July, therefore do not meet the timescale for the interim paper copy which ends on the 19th. With only 12 days until we travel, we can find no information on how to register for proof of vaccines for people travelling on the 20th July or after. Any help desperately appreciated.
Hi Fiona if you get any answers could you let me know to please we are due to fly on the 20th also and I’m having the same issues as you. Thanks jackie
Hi we are the same from northern ireland fly out the 20th and havent a clue how to prove we are both jabbed
I wrote to Robin Swann as I travel 24 July. No reply, what a joke. Don’t suppose he’ll pay the £120 for our tests!
On Talk Back today a travel expert from Oasis travel stated that all people flying out after 20th July Can now apply for covid passport however, I have tried the website and it is still stopping my application if I fly after 19th! I can’t find anywhere to enquire about this.
Anyone heard any more developments?
Hi there you could get a letter from your G.P.
You can’t it has to be the government letter and bank holiday weekend now so anybody travelling Tuesday can only cancel PCR tests 24 hours before now everyone out of pocket it is a complete joke
Is that £120 per person? I heard it was £99 each.
I’m in the same boat fly out 21 July ????????♀️
Is there anyone out there who can help me PLEASE. I am originally from NI but have lived on mainland Europe (Italy) for many years. I was blocked in NI by the lockdowns but despite not having a GP I was allowed to be vaccinated to protect me and the community. Now however I risk having to be re-vaccinated. I applied for the interim pass which was rejected. I managed to return to Italy but am not entitled to the European Green Pass as the card I was given at the ULster Hospital is not accepted. Short of going for a further 2 vaccinations, I can’t see any way out of this sititaion. I was not given the paper certificate after the second dose, just a card. And all my emails, telephone calls etc have been in vain. Anyone able to help me in any way, point me in the right direction…. MAny thanks in advance
If you received your jabs in ni you will be on the records the digital passport is released on Monday you will be able to apply for that as you rec8your jabs here
Thank you so much Patrick. I really appreciate your help, and i mean really really lol.
I will confirm that all has gone according to plan. Have a lovely weekend
We fly to malta 25th July. When will we get our covid passport if it only goes live on 19th and takes 10 days we will miss our holiday.
Hi I applied and put in the 19th even tho we are travelling on the 20th I will let you know if I get it
Hi jackie can i ask if u got the certificate ok
Hi no nothing at all. We have ordered the PCR tests just incase
Hi Jackie i hope to be flying to malta on the 25th too. am desperate to visit family. need my covid cert desperately. going out of my mind with worry. dont want to quarantine on arrival for lack of cert.
I am fully vaccinated i Northern Ir,I am flying from Dublin to Lithuania on 20 July, how I can get vaccine certificates
I’m registered with GP in Northern Irelan- Lisburn- but currently I’m working in Wales and I have got all my vaccinations there . Where should I apply?
Why is bulgaria not on the list when it is in amber zone to allow us to get the hard copy vaccine certificate
Yet again this just shows how inept the NI so called executive or dare I so MUPPETS on the hill are.
We are constantly playing catch up in everything we do in our country.
If people stopped voting these inept money grabbing useless politicians into office on a green or orange basis things might change for the better.
Let’s see some forward thinking people coming forward and challenging the so called politicians.
PRIOR PREPARATION AND PLANNING PREVENT POOR PERFORMANCES !!!!
A simple saying that I don’t think our politicians know how to implement.
People have been voting in large numbers for the alliance party in recent times and it hasn’t got any better ,they seem only interested in bringing in water charges to cripple ordinary working people even more considering n Ireland has the lowest wages in the UK
Until the so called big two are voted out the honest hard working and under privileged class people are never going to have a true voice.
It’s about time a political party made up from both sides of the religious divide united and took on the political parties that still can’t work together.
As long as we live in the past we will never have a future for generations to come.
You can apply now on gov.ni for a covid passport if you are travelling before 20th of july
How do i get a certificate if my travel date is the 20th july
I would try on gov.ni they might give you a passport
There is a news feed on BBC that an emergency plan is being worked on for people with holidays/flights departing on or before 20th July. Looks like it will be announced on Monday & you will have to provide evidence of your holiday by scanning your documents & then the certificate will available for collection – information still quite vague but hopefully will hear more over the weekend.
Where did you see this
Thomas it’s on BBC news NI site & the scheme is now open to apply if you’re travelling before 20th July – go to NI direct interim proof of vaccination document & you will be able to apply. It will ask for your Health Care Number off your medical card, the date you’re travelling, when you had your vaccines & where, you will also need to set up an NI direct account if you don’t already have one.
Why is it that the NI government havent organised the vaccine passport when most factories & builders take off 2 weeks in July. It’s not a new thing been happening for nearly a century. Useless!
They just issue an email, cant produce paper copy now, not enough staff, as working on electronic one but say keep checking your emails???
Hi Trish, can I please ask did you get your certificate emailed to you?
I am due to fly to Malaga on Saturday, still nothing. Thanks
Are people from Ni still going out to Portugal at the moment. Surely the majority of people going out will have to quarantine for 2 weeks as there is no proof of vaccination atm. I am booked booked to fly out tomorrow for two weeks and don’t know what do do. ( I have had 2 vacs but cant officially prove it.
Is it correct the proof of 2 vaccines will be required to dine in or out at establishments in Republic of Ireland??
No. I was in Donegal a few weeks ago. No proof needed.
Will need vaccine certificate to dine indoors in ROI when indoors reopen
Fly on 8th July to Mallorca, had vaccine weeks ago. These ‘passport’ proof should have been readily available inline with countries / regions being added to the Green list. Of course other nations might ask for this, yet our government can’t think ahead or risk being ahead of the curve, incase they offend one or other of them un’s.
GET IT SORTED!!
Yes it is. They announced this yesterday.
Hi warren, we are the same. w e fly to Mallorca on the 12th , we are both fully vac with no proof. Can i ask what your doing? we have booked 2 expensive PCR tests incase we don’t get the proof, but i know wer not the only ones. So frustrating!!
Travelling 13th July need this sorted don’t know why Ni is so far behind
I’ve been trying to get my passport but it keeps saying there is something wrong
Same here Thomas, the page keeps crashing and we need our proof before next week, so frustrating
Hi were traveling on the 14th of July so I’m hoping this is sorted for us so we don’t have to fork out more money really, shud of been sorted before this ????????????????
It should be fast tracked for those traveling. Definitely not good enough for NI to be so far behind the rest of the UK. Airlines are still flying from Belfast to Portugal but no residents in NI can currently enter without completing a 14 day quarantine as our government have not yet sorted the vaccine certification. As flights aren’t cancelled you are not entitled to a refund!
Absolutely, we are travelling end of July. Hoping that people not travelling have the common sense not to request vaccine certificate if they don’t need them.
It’s active link is on Belfast live
Two months behind England think its time we had a new health minister
Haven’t seen my kids in nearly two years they live on the Isle of man and the card proving two vaccines isn’t acceptable the authorities want to see a NHS passport typical of the Clampets up in Barnams (Stormont)they couldn’t run water out of a leaking tap they make me sick with their posturing and ducking and diving wasters the lot
I have moved to Scotland only a few weeks ago and changed drs. I had both Covid jabs in Northern Ireland . Will I be able to access my Vaccination certificates through Northern Ireland site as I can’t access them here in Scotland because they were not given here.
Hopefully it will be a quick turn around when application has been submitted and certificate sent out automatically max 5 days. The real question is why not start the work earlier in line with the rest of mainland UK? Not invent the wheel again but work together with England/Wales/Scotland to get a system in place, perhaps the Stop Covid NI app could be used with added security feature – put your hospital number in and voila proof if you had both vaccinations comes up.
Everyone should be entitled to free fit to fly PCR tests . My holidays are the 12th fortnight and the hard copy passport will take 10 days from the 5th July. Which means if I go on holiday I can’t proove I had both jabs so I have to take a PCR test which costs @ £50
we need this asap
Totally agree with this. 100% ASAP
Why so far behind NHS England is appalling
When can we apply for the northern Ireland hard copy for proof of covid inuculculation how long will it take
I also would like to know the answer to this
When can we apply for the northern Ireland hard copy for proof of covid inuculculation how long will it take
Yes i would also like to know. I have emailed the department of health & have not had a reply. I also rang my doctor & receptionist didn’t know what i was talking about
Sorry i mean i want to know how i can prove i have recovered from the virus
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